Deuteronomy 2 (Devarim) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-9944Deuteronomy, Chapter 2
Moshe recalls how Yisrael went around mount Se’ir and were told not to provoke Esav, Moav or the children of Ammon, tells of the peoples who once lived in those lands, the crossing of the brook Zered after thirty-eight years, and the defeat of Siḥon king of Ḥeshbon at Yahatz.
2:1Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of Yam Suf, as Hashem spoke unto me; and we went around mount Se’ir (Seir) many days.
אוַנֵּ֜פֶן וַנִּסַּ֤ע הַמִּדְבָּ֨רָה֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יַם־ס֔וּף כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י וַנָּ֥סָב אֶת־הַר־שֵׂעִ֖יר יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃
2:2And Hashem spoke unto me, saying,
בוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
2:3‘You have gone around this mountain long enough; turn northward.
גרַב־לָכֶ֕ם סֹ֖ב אֶת־הָהָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה פְּנ֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם צָפֹֽנָה׃
2:4And command the people, saying, “You are to pass through the border of your brethren the children of Esav (Esau), who dwell in Se’ir; and they shall be afraid of you; take good heed unto yourselves therefore.
דוְאֶת־הָעָם֮ צַ֣ו לֵאמֹר֒ אַתֶּ֣ם עֹֽבְרִ֗ים בִּגְבוּל֙ אֲחֵיכֶ֣ם בְּנֵי־עֵשָׂ֔ו הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר וְיִֽירְא֣וּ מִכֶּ֔ם וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃
2:5Do not provoke them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a footstep; because I have given mount Se’ir unto Esav for a possession.
האַל־תִּתְגָּר֣וּ בָ֔ם כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אֶתֵּ֤ן לָכֶם֙ מֵֽאַרְצָ֔ם עַ֖ד מִדְרַ֣ךְ כַּף־רָ֑גֶל כִּֽי־יְרֻשָּׁ֣ה לְעֵשָׂ֔ו נָתַ֖תִּי אֶת־הַ֥ר שֵׂעִֽיר׃
2:6You shall buy food of them for money, that you may eat; and you shall also buy water of them for money, that you may drink.
ואֹ֣כֶל תִּשְׁבְּר֧וּ מֵֽאִתָּ֛ם בַּכֶּ֖סֶף וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֑ם וְגַם־מַ֜יִם תִּכְר֧וּ מֵאִתָּ֛ם בַּכֶּ֖סֶף וּשְׁתִיתֶֽם׃
2:7For Hashem your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand; He knows your walking through this great wilderness; these forty years Hashem your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.”’
זכִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ בֵּֽרַכְךָ֗ בְּכֹל֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֔ךָ יָדַ֣ע לֶכְתְּךָ֔ אֶת־הַמִּדְבָּ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל הַזֶּ֑ה זֶ֣ה ׀ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ עִמָּ֔ךְ לֹ֥א חָסַ֖רְתָּ דָּבָֽר׃
2:8And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esav, who dwelt in Se’ir, by the way of the plain from Eilat (Elath), and from Etzyon Gever (Ezion-gaber), we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moav (Moab).
חוַֽנַּעֲבֹ֞ר מֵאֵ֧ת אַחֵ֣ינוּ בְנֵי־עֵשָׂ֗ו הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּשֵׂעִ֔יר מִדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ הָֽעֲרָבָ֔ה מֵאֵילַ֖ת וּמֵעֶצְיֹ֣ן גָּ֑בֶר ס וַנֵּ֨פֶן֙ וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֔ר דֶּ֖רֶךְ מִדְבַּ֥ר מוֹאָֽב׃
2:9And Hashem said unto me, ‘Do not distress Moav, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.’
טוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י אֶל־תָּ֨צַר֙ אֶת־מוֹאָ֔ב וְאַל־תִּתְגָּ֥ר בָּ֖ם מִלְחָמָ֑ה כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אֶתֵּ֨ן לְךָ֤ מֵֽאַרְצוֹ֙ יְרֻשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֣י לִבְנֵי־ל֔וֹט נָתַ֥תִּי אֶת־עָ֖ר יְרֻשָּֽׁה׃
2:10(The Emim dwelt there in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim;
יהָאֵמִ֥ים לְפָנִ֖ים יָ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֑הּ עַ֣ם גָּד֥וֹל וְרַ֛ב וָרָ֖ם כָּעֲנָקִֽים׃
2:11they also were accounted Refa’im (giants), as the Anakim; but the Moavim (Moabites) call them Emim.
יארְפָאִ֛ים יֵחָשְׁב֥וּ אַף־הֵ֖ם כָּעֲנָקִ֑ים וְהַמֹּ֣אָבִ֔ים יִקְרְא֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם אֵמִֽים׃
2:12The Ḥorim (Horims) also dwelt in Se’ir before; but the children of Esav succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Yisrael (Israel) did unto the land of his possession, which Hashem gave unto them.)
יבוּבְשֵׂעִ֞יר יָשְׁב֣וּ הַחֹרִים֮ לְפָנִים֒ וּבְנֵ֧י עֵשָׂ֣ו יִֽירָשׁ֗וּם וַיַּשְׁמִידוּם֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ תַּחְתָּ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר עָשָׂ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְאֶ֨רֶץ֙ יְרֻשָּׁת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן יְהוָ֖ה לָהֶֽם׃
2:13‘Now rise up, and cross over the brook Zered.’ And we went over the brook Zered.
יגעַתָּ֗ה קֻ֛מוּ וְעִבְר֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־נַ֣חַל זָ֑רֶד וַֽנַּעֲבֹ֖ר אֶת־נַ֥חַל זָֽרֶד׃
2:14And the time from when we came from Kadesh Barnea until we had come over the brook Zered was thirty and eight years, until all the generation of the men of war had perished from among the camp, as Hashem swore unto them.
ידוְהַיָּמִ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֣כְנוּ ׀ מִקָּדֵ֣שׁ בַּרְנֵ֗עַ עַ֤ד אֲשֶׁר־עָבַ֨רְנוּ֙ אֶת־נַ֣חַל זֶ֔רֶד שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁמֹנֶ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה עַד־תֹּ֨ם כָּל־הַדּ֜וֹר אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ מִקֶּ֣רֶב הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה לָהֶֽם׃
2:15For indeed the hand of Hashem was against them, to destroy them from among the camp, until they were consumed.
טווְגַ֤ם יַד־יְהוָה֙ הָ֣יְתָה בָּ֔ם לְהֻמָּ֖ם מִקֶּ֣רֶב הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה עַ֖ד תֻּמָּֽם׃
2:16So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people,
טזוַיְהִ֨י כַאֲשֶׁר־תַּ֜מּוּ כָּל־אַנְשֵׁ֧י הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה לָמ֖וּת מִקֶּ֥רֶב הָעָֽם׃
2:17that Hashem spoke unto me, saying,
יזוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
2:18‘You are to pass over through Ar, the border of Moav, this day;
יחאַתָּ֨ה עֹבֵ֥ר הַיּ֛וֹם אֶת־גְּב֥וּל מוֹאָ֖ב אֶת־עָֽר׃
2:19and when you come near, over against the children of Ammon, do not distress them, nor provoke them; for I will not give you of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.’
יטוְקָרַבְתָּ֗ מ֚וּל בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן אַל־תְּצֻרֵ֖ם וְאַל־תִּתְגָּ֣ר בָּ֑ם כִּ֣י לֹֽא־אֶ֠תֵּן מֵאֶ֨רֶץ בְּנֵי־עַמּ֤וֹן לְךָ֙ יְרֻשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י לִבְנֵי־ל֖וֹט נְתַתִּ֥יהָ יְרֻשָּֽׁה׃
2:20(That also was accounted a land of Refa’im; Refa’im dwelt there in old time; and the Ammonim call them Zamzummim,
כאֶֽרֶץ־רְפָאִ֥ים תֵּחָשֵׁ֖ב אַף־הִ֑וא רְפָאִ֤ים יָֽשְׁבוּ־בָהּ֙ לְפָנִ֔ים וְהָֽעַמֹּנִ֔ים יִקְרְא֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם זַמְזֻמִּֽים׃
2:21a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim; but Hashem destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead,
כאעַ֣ם גָּד֥וֹל וְרַ֛ב וָרָ֖ם כָּעֲנָקִ֑ים וַיַּשְׁמִידֵ֤ם יְהוָה֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּירָשֻׁ֖ם וַיֵּשְׁב֥וּ תַחְתָּֽם׃
2:22as He did to the children of Esav, who dwell in Se’ir, when He destroyed the Ḥorim from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day;
כבכַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשָׂה֙ לִבְנֵ֣י עֵשָׂ֔ו הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּשֵׂעִ֑יר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִשְׁמִ֤יד אֶת־הַחֹרִי֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּֽירָשֻׁם֙ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ תַחְתָּ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
2:23and the Avim, who dwelt in villages as far as Azzah (Gaza), the Kaftorim (Caphtorims), who came forth out of Kaftor (Caphtor), destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)
כגוְהָֽעַוִּ֛ים הַיֹּשְׁבִ֥ים בַּחֲצֵרִ֖ים עַד־עַזָּ֑ה כַּפְתֹּרִים֙ הַיֹּצְאִ֣ים מִכַּפְתּ֔וֹר הִשְׁמִידֻ֖ם וַיֵּשְׁב֥וּ תַחְתָּֽם׃
2:24‘Rise up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon; behold, I have given into your hand Siḥon (Sihon) the Emori, king of Ḥeshbon (Heshbon), and his land; begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
כדק֣וּמוּ סְּע֗וּ וְעִבְרוּ֮ אֶת־נַ֣חַל אַרְנֹן֒ רְאֵ֣ה נָתַ֣תִּי בְ֠יָדְךָ אֶת־סִיחֹ֨ן מֶֽלֶךְ־חֶשְׁבּ֧וֹן הָֽאֱמֹרִ֛י וְאֶת־אַרְצ֖וֹ הָחֵ֣ל רָ֑שׁ וְהִתְגָּ֥ר בּ֖וֹ מִלְחָמָֽה׃
2:25This day will I begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you upon the peoples that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of you.’
כההַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֗ה אָחֵל֙ תֵּ֤ת פַּחְדְּךָ֙ וְיִרְאָ֣תְךָ֔ עַל־פְּנֵי֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים תַּ֖חַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁמְעוּן֙ שִׁמְעֲךָ֔ וְרָגְז֥וּ וְחָל֖וּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃
2:26And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemot (Kedemoth) unto Siḥon king of Ḥeshbon with words of peace, saying,
כווָאֶשְׁלַ֤ח מַלְאָכִים֙ מִמִּדְבַּ֣ר קְדֵמ֔וֹת אֶל־סִיח֖וֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן דִּבְרֵ֥י שָׁל֖וֹם לֵאמֹֽר׃
2:27‘Let me pass through your land; I will go along by the highway, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left.
כזאֶעְבְּרָ֣ה בְאַרְצֶ֔ךָ בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֵלֵ֑ךְ לֹ֥א אָס֖וּר יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאול׃
2:28You shall sell me food for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink; only let me pass through on my feet,
כחאֹ֣כֶל בַּכֶּ֤סֶף תַּשְׁבִּרֵ֨נִי֙ וְאָכַ֔לְתִּי וּמַ֛יִם בַּכֶּ֥סֶף תִּתֶּן־לִ֖י וְשָׁתִ֑יתִי רַ֖ק אֶעְבְּרָ֥ה בְרַגְלָֽי׃
2:29as the children of Esav who dwell in Se’ir, and the Moavim who dwell in Ar, did unto me, until I shall pass over the Yarden (Jordan) into the land which Hashem our God gives us.’
כטכַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָֽשׂוּ־לִ֜י בְּנֵ֣י עֵשָׂ֗ו הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּשֵׂעִ֔יר וְהַמּ֣וֹאָבִ֔ים הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּעָ֑ר עַ֤ד אֲשֶֽׁר־אֶֽעֱבֹר֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽנוּ׃
2:30But Siḥon king of Ḥeshbon would not let us pass by him; for Hashem your God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day.
לוְלֹ֣א אָבָ֗ה סִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן הַעֲבִרֵ֖נוּ בּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־הִקְשָׁה֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֶת־רוּח֗וֹ וְאִמֵּץ֙ אֶת־לְבָב֔וֹ לְמַ֛עַן תִּתּ֥וֹ בְיָדְךָ֖ כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
2:31And Hashem said unto me, ‘Behold, I have begun to give Siḥon and his land before you; begin to possess, that you may inherit his land.’
לאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י רְאֵ֗ה הַֽחִלֹּ֨תִי֙ תֵּ֣ת לְפָנֶ֔יךָ אֶת־סִיחֹ֖ן וְאֶת־אַרְצ֑וֹ הָחֵ֣ל רָ֔שׁ לָרֶ֖שֶׁת אֶת־אַרְצֽוֹ׃
2:32Then Siḥon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Yahatz (Jahaz).
לבוַיֵּצֵא֩ סִיחֹ֨ן לִקְרָאתֵ֜נוּ ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמּ֛וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה יָֽהְצָה׃
2:33And Hashem our God delivered him before us; and we struck him, and his sons, and all his people.
לגוַֽיִּתְּנֵ֛הוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ לְפָנֵ֑ינוּ וַנַּ֥ךְ אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־בנו (קרי בָּנָ֖יו) וְאֶת־כָּל־עַמּֽוֹ׃
2:34And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city; we left none to remain;
לדוַנִּלְכֹּ֤ד אֶת־כָּל־עָרָיו֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַֽנַּחֲרֵם֙ אֶת־כָּל־עִ֣יר מְתִ֔ם וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַטָּ֑ף לֹ֥א הִשְׁאַ֖רְנוּ שָׂרִֽיד׃
2:35only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took.
להרַ֥ק הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה בָּזַ֣זְנוּ לָ֑נוּ וּשְׁלַ֥ל הֶעָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָכָֽדְנוּ׃
2:36From Aro’er (Aroer), which is by the edge of the river Arnon, and from the city that is in the valley, even unto Gil’ad (Gilead), there was not one city too high for us; Hashem our God delivered all unto us;
לומֵֽעֲרֹעֵ֡ר אֲשֶׁר֩ עַל־שְׂפַת־נַ֨חַל אַרְנֹ֜ן וְהָעִ֨יר אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּנַּ֨חַל֙ וְעַד־הַגִּלְעָ֔ד לֹ֤א הָֽיְתָה֙ קִרְיָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂגְבָ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֶת־הַכֹּ֕ל נָתַ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ לְפָנֵֽינוּ׃
2:37only unto the land of the children of Ammon you did not come, nor unto any place along the river Yabbok (Jabbok), nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatever Hashem our God forbade us.
לזרַ֛ק אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ בְּנֵי־עַמּ֖וֹן לֹ֣א קָרָ֑בְתָּ כָּל־יַ֞ד נַ֤חַל יַבֹּק֙ וְעָרֵ֣י הָהָ֔ר וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the Hebrew shows the written form, the reading follows in small type, and a note under the verse gives both. The English follows the reading. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In Deuteronomy they differ from most English Bibles, or a verse is divided differently, in chapters 5, 12, 13, 22, 23, 28 and 29; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.